


Home Is Where The Heart Is (Family Is Where The Heartache Lies)

by PAPERSK1N



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Adoption, Angst, Arson, Art, Established Relationship, F/M, Fire, Fluff, M/M, Mavin, Minor character death in the beginning, Multi, Original Character(s), Pyromania, family au, video games - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-15
Updated: 2015-01-26
Packaged: 2018-03-01 14:59:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2777420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PAPERSK1N/pseuds/PAPERSK1N
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Set 2 years into the future.)</p><p>Michael was just looking forward to a lazy Sunday with his boi. He wasn't expecting a phone call that would literally change both their lives forever.</p><p>Jake is a fifteen-year-old kid, who's had some hard blows dealt by life. And he is Michael's responsibility.</p><p>Family AU with some angst and stuff, updates on Mondays!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

“I'll get it!” Gavin calls out, rushing to the ringing phone that sits on the kitchen counter. The number lighting up the screen on Michael’s mobile phone isn’t a saved one, and Gavin raises his eyebrows in curiosity for a second, wondering who would be calling Michael at ten AM on a Sunday morning that they didn't already know. He accepts the call, and a voice immediately starts speaking.

“Hello? Is there a Mr Michael Jones present?”

Gavin frowns. “Uh, he’s just in the shower at the moment, but this is his partner- Gavin Free. Can I… take a message?”

There is a pause.

“Uh, with all due respect, Mr Free- this is a… _sensitive_ subject which we would much rather discuss directly with Mr Jones.”

“Oh.” Gavin says, feeling a little annoyed. “Well, I guess I'll just go and get him then.”

He places Michael’s phone back down on the counter, and chews his lip nervously, wondering who it could possibly be on the other end of the line. Usually, he’d ask, but by the way the woman on the other end of the line hesitated and used terms like ‘ _sensitive_ _subject’_ it feels a little too much like prying. Even if Michael’s been his boyfriend for over two years, Gavin knows he isn’t entitled to know _everything._

He walks down to the bathroom door, and reaches for the handle. Michael beats him too it, however, and almost walks into the Brit as he exits the bathroom. He laughs.

“Gavin you fuck, you scared me!” he exclaims, smiling. But Gavin doesn’t smile back. “Gav? You okay?”

“There’s someone on the phone for you.” Gavin says.

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know…”

“You mean you didn't ask?” Michael frowns, walking past Gavin, into the main room of their apartment. He picks up the phone, frowning at the number on the screen. Who _the fuck_ would be calling him at this time anyway?

He looks at Gavin’s worried expression, and it makes his stomach flip over a little. He reaches for the screen and flicks the phone to loudspeaker, before beginning to speak.

“Michael Jones speaking here, who’s calling?”

“Hello Mr Jones- I’m calling from the New Jersey State Hospital.”

Michael’s stomach drops instantly.

“What’s wrong- is it, my family? My parents? Are they okay?” He asks quickly, avoiding Gavin’s concerned gaze.

“No. Not one of your family members.” The woman explains. Michael and Gavin both sigh a small sigh of relief, but it quickly forms into confusion. If it wasn’t a _family_ member… who was in the hospital?

“Mr Jones, do you know a woman named Rebecca King?”

Michael swallows. “Uh, yeah.”

“We regret to inform you that Ms King was involved in a car accident in the early hours of this morning. We did the best we could but… she didn't make it. I give you my condolences.”

Michael feels Gavin’s hand move over and sit atop his gently. He frowns, remembering Rebecca. She was his friend, sure, and the two may have been close for a long time before he moved to Austin but… he hadn’t spoken to Becca in years.

“God, that’s- that’s awful… uh, but… why are you calling me?”

He thinks he hears the woman sigh on the other end of the phone. “We, uh, we have Ms King’s son, Jake here. You are the only person we have listed to contact for him in emergencies. It came to our attention that both Ms King’s parents are deceased, and she doesn’t have any other family in the country. There isn’t a father listed anywhere so… you are listed as his next of kin.”

Michael stops, and looks to Gavin, eyes wide. Gavin looks concerned still, but almost like he’s trying to hold it in. he grips Michael’s hand tighter.

“What- I… I don’t understand.”

“What I’m trying to say, Mr Jones… is that technically, this makes you Jake King’s legal guardian, persae. We need you to come and fill out some forms.”

“You want me to come all the way to New Jersey? I- I don’t know if I.”

“Mr Jones, it’s either you come here and we can sort out the necessary arrangements, or we can arrange for a social worker to come and pick Jake up and put him straight into the care system.”

This makes Michael’s stomach turn. Growing up in New Jersey, he had friends who had been raised in the system. Kids who the only thing they hated more than themselves where the fucking people who had put them in there.

And no fucking kid deserved that.

He looked to Gavin, who just nodded.

“Go.” He whispered.

Silently, Michael nodded back. “Uh, okay- I'll, I'll be down as soon as I can.”

“Thank You, Mr Jones.”

The call ends with a long beep, and Michael hangs up the phone, placing it back down on the kitchen counter. He leans back, releasing his hand from Gavin’s grasp, and runs both hands through his damp hair.

“Shit- Gavin, what the fuck am I supposed to do?” he asks.

Gavin can't pretend he know how the American care system works. He can’t pretend he really knows any other course of action Michael can take. He sighs.

“Michael I- think that woman was saying that… you need to bring him back here.”

oOo

It takes Michael 7 hours to arrive at the hospital.

He’s lucky really, finding a direct flight on such short notice. And sure, it meant sprinting through the airport and leaving Gavin in the car without a goodbye, but he made it.

His skin is still dried out from the air travel, and his eyes are red and tired, but he makes it, tossing some dollars at the taxi driver, and walking into the hospital.

The walls are too bright and the woman at the reception has a smile that is much too wide, as she asks him, “Yes, can I help you?”

“Uh, I’m… I’m Michael Jones. Here for Jake King.”

The woman’s smile drops. “Yes, Mr Jones. If you turn down the right wing and take a left, he’s in our third conference room, along with the social worker.”

Michael nods. “Thank you.”

Michael has never really been a fan of hospitals. It’s a mixture between the bright white walls and the too-clean floors and the lingering scent of antibacterial cleanser that reminds him of his childhood.

It’s not easy being a sick kid, he thinks as he passes the children’s ward.

Michael, however, was one of the lucky ones. He didn't have cancer, he wasn’t terminal. Sometimes, things in his head just didn't work right and he’d get himself mixed up. His brain sent the wrong signals to the rest of his body, and sometimes, his blood would flow wrong or his heart would beat erratically.

Michael spent around a year in-and-out of hospital, before eventually being put on the right meds. He still takes them, two little green pills once a day. Gavin jokes and calls them his happy pills.

He stops outside ‘CONFERENCE ROOM 3’ and turns the handle slowly. Inside is blank, with nothing but a single table with four chairs around it. The boy who Michael hasn’t seen for too-long sits with his arms folded, an angry frown on his face.

His grey hoodie is pulled up over his head, hiding his dark hair. His hazel eyes are rimmed red from crying, probably. On his left, sits a woman with too much lipstick and a too-wide smile and a cardigan with a button missing. She smiles in a way she must think is reassuring at Michael, before nodding to the seat opposite her. Michael looks to Jake as he sits down, but Jake doesn’t look back up at him.

“Mr Jones, I’m Linda Yates.” She says, reaching across the table and shaking his hand.

“Michael is fine.”

“Michael, right.” She smiles again, flashing her white teeth. Michael looks back to Jake, whose gaze is still on the table. “As awful as the circumstances are, I really appreciate you coming all the way down here. There are certain… procedures we go through in these situations, and as Jake’s legal guardian, we just need you to sign some things.”

“Right.” She beings pulling stacks of paper from her bag, piling them up on the table. She licks the pad of her thumb, and turns the first sheet over.

“Okay, first things first, we need you to sign this order of care, putting Jake in the care of the state of New Jersey. Then we can fill out the necessary forms needed to arrange a home for him to stay in.”

“No,” Michael shakes his head. Linda frowns. “I fully intend on bringing Jake home with me.”

Linda attempts a smile, but it looks more like a grimace. She glances between Jake and Michael. “Mr Jones,”

“Michael.” He corrects her. She sighs.

“Michael- I don’t know if you fully understand the gravitas of the statement you’ve just made. I-”

“I fully understand. I’ve talked it through with my partner, we have a good, steady income from work, we have a two bedroom apartment in Austin, there’s a school nearby…”

“Michael, I’m sure you have, and you sound like you’ve put a lot of thought into this but… I _can’t_ advise this. At all.”

“Listen, Linda, no offence, but I couldn’t give less of a- I couldn’t care less. Legally, Jake is now under my protection, right? Becca was a good friend of mine, and I haven’t travelled all the way out here just to send him off to a home and never see him again. I’ve had a lot of travel time to think about this, believe me… and I want Jake to come home with me.”

“Can we stop talking about me like I’m not in the room?” Jake says, speaking for the first time. His voice is still dry and raspy from crying. He sniffs, and looks between Linda and Michael.

Linda’s full smile switches back on, and she pats Jake’s shoulder condescendingly. Jake doesn’t look convinced, and Michael hides a smirk.

“Michael,” she turns back to face him. “Do you have any children?”

Michael shakes his head.

“Do you even have frequent contact with _any_ young children, never mind _teenagers_?”

“Uh, my bosses daughter is nine, she hangs out at the office sometimes…”

“So, that would be a no?”

Michael glares at her, but reluctantly, and through gritted teeth, agrees.

“So you understand why professionally, I can’t advise this.” She sighs. “I think it would be better for you and for Jake, for the two of you to go your separate ways. Jake can stay here in New Jersey, in a good home with plenty of other children, and-”

“Have you tried asking Jake what _he_ wants?” Michael asks, barely holding back his anger. Jake sits up slightly at the mention of his name. “Because you’re acting like he’s just some kid. He’s got a voice, he’s got a mind. He should have a choice in the situation. And you know what, If Jake tells me to fuck off and send him away, I'll do it. But I can’t let you chose for him.”

For a second, Michael thinks Jake is smiling. But when the two eyes meet, his face quickly drops. Linda’s face is red as she turns to look at Jake. Eyes still glued to the table, Jake nods once.

“You want to go with Michael?” she asks, a tired edge to her voice. Looking up at Michael briefly one more time, he nods.

Linda sighs, reaching down to sort through her paperwork, dumping over half of it back in her bag.

“Right.” She says. “I guess we better get started on… arrangements.”

oOo

The paperwork takes longer to fill out that Michael could have ever imagined. Child Protective Services is no fucking joke, apparently. In the meantime, Jake gets sent off to a temporary home for the night, as the paperwork takes what feels like decades to do, and even longer to process.

Michael crashes in a motel room for the night, and calls Gavin, updating him on everything that’s going on. If Child Services give him the ok, he can bring Jake back tomorrow. He speaks to Gavin on the phone for hours, until eventually the Brit is yawning and his sentences are fading away at the ends. Michael laughs.

“Gavin, go to sleep.”

“Michael, no, I'll stay up with you- I said.”

“Gavin,” Michael sighs. “I'll call you in the morning, okay?”

“Okay.” Gavin says. “G’night Michael.”

“Love you.”

Gavin mumbles something that sounds like ‘I love you too’ and then the phone hangs up. Michael sighs, resting back in his uncomfortable bed. According to Linda, being Jake’s legal guardian apparently wasn’t enough to have the right to just bring him back to Austin. Apparently, New Jersey and Austin’s child services both had to confirm that it was okay before Jake could even leave the state.

Which was why he had to stay here, in this shitty fucking bed.

Michael tosses and turns most of the night, more awake than asleep.  He wonders what it will be like taking Jake back to Austin. He doesn’t even know who Jake is, not really. He could be a brat, for all Michael knows.

And then there is the question of the fans. Of course, Gavin has alerted Goff and Burnie that Michael would probably need a few days off to sort everything out, and all their friends have been updated, but Michael isn’t exactly going to keep Jake hidden, like a dirty little secret. The news will have to be broken somehow.

But was Jake even the kind of kid who would want to be in the public eye?

And then there is the one issue, sitting at the front of Michael’s mind.

Michael knows what fifteen-year-old boys can be like. Could Jake be disgusted by the fact he was in a relationship with another dude? What if he kicks off, and refuse to move to Austin until Gavin moves out?

On one hand, Gavin is the love of his life. Michael can’t imagine being without him.

But Jake is his responsibility, officially, by law. When it comes down to it, will Michael have to choose between the two?

All these questions race through Michael’s mind at a thousand miles per hour, until eventually, he finds himself slowly beginning to slip into sleep.

oOo

He hadn’t been expecting the call to come at half seven in the morning. Michael sounded like a half-asleep asshole, and kept his fingers crossed behind his back that they wouldn’t change their mind halfway on account of him not being up at the ass-crack of dawn.

“So, what you’re saying is- I can come pick him up?” he asked after what felt like hours of a monotonous voice rambling through the phone line.

“Yes, Mr Jones. You can take Jake home.”

oOo

Michael sends out a silent thanks to his brother for driving round to his motel and lending Michael his car.

“Sorry to hear about Becca man, but you take care of that kid.”

“Thanks dude. Once everything gets settled, me and Gav’ll come down and visit mom and dad again.”

Then Michael’s brother hops in a cab and leaves, and Michael slips into the car, setting off towards the children’s home Jake is staying in.

He’s still groggy from sleep as he drives, but sips at from his coffee cup desperately, rubbing his eyes in his rear view mirror. He can’t look like a crack addict on his first day of sort-of-parenting.

He pulls up outside the home, and Jake stand there, a large suitcase in sitting next to him. Linda is there too, talking to him and gripping his shoulders, smiling too wide. Jake just looks about as tired as Michael feels, pulling up on the kerb and rolling down the window.

“Ready?”

Jake looks between Linda and Michael. “Ready.”

He tosses his case in the back and slips in the front seat, Michael not giving Linda the chance to even say goodbye before he’s slipping through the streets he grew up in. The drive is silent for a while except for the muted sounds of the radio playing shitty pop song after shitty pop song. Eventually, Jake reaches forwards, and turns it off.

“Not your taste, huh?” Michael asks.

“Nope.”

“Good. Don’t think I could fucking stand listening to that teeny-bop shit if you paid me.”

Jake scoffs at this- barely a half-laugh, but he’s smiling anyway. Michael smiles too, but doesn’t comment.

“So.” Jake says. “Austin. Texas. Isn’t that place like super racist or whatever?”

Michael shrugs. “Nah, not Austin. Some parts of Texas are pretty bad, but Austin’s actually quite cool. Trust me, I was worried before I moved their too, about… homophobia and shit.”

Jake raises an eyebrow at this. “You’re gay?” he asks. Michael swallows.

“Bi. Sort of. I- uh, I live, actually- with my… boyfriend. Gavin.” He admits. The car is silent and Michael’s fingers tense on the wheel, anticipating Jakes reaction. “I-uh, I just wanted you to know that… that I’m with him, and whatever.”

“Cool.” Jake shrugs.

“You okay with that?” Michael asks, trying to keep his voice steady. Jake shrugs again.

“Not my business bro. As long as you don’t do it in front of me, I couldn’t care less who you fuck.”

Michael laughs at this. “Good. I was fucking worried there of a second.” Jake smiles. “Oh! And watch your fucking language, dude.”

“You just swore like six times!” Jake exclaims. Michael grins.

“I know, I’m fucking with you. I don’t really care if you swear.”

“Cool.”

The car is silent for another ten minutes, before Michael sucks in a breath. The situation he’s in is more than awkward, he knows that, but he’s gotta bring it up. He knows he does.

“Listen, dude…” he says, catching Jake’s attention. “About your mom, I-”

“Please. Don’t tell me your fucking sorry. I’ve heard enough of that to last a lifetime.”

Michael sighs, and looks to Jake. “Okay.” He says, nodding. “I won't.”

“Thanks.” Jake sighs, smiling a little as he leans back in his seat. After a few beats of silence, he speaks again. “She used to talk about you- you know.”

“She did?” Michael asks.

“Yeah. She always used to say that she regretted it- not being with you when she had the chance. She thought you were her last shot at… true love, or some bullshit. But she did- you know? She really loved you.”

Michael swallows thickly, and blinks away the tears heating up his eyes and making his skin flush red.

“Don’t” Jake warns. “You’re not gonna say you’re sorry, remember?. Let’s just drive, yeah?”

Michael clears his throat. “Yeah. Yeah, dude- let’s just drive.”

They drive the rest of the way to the airport, which isn’t very far in silence. Jake actually nods off the seep, and Michael wishes he could do the same. Thankfully, they’re pulling into the airport now and the flight that they had been put on was leaving in an hour.

“Jake, buddy. Wake up.” He says, shaking Jake gently. Jake wakes up groaning a little and turning on his side.

“Five more minutes.” He mumbles.

“Jesus.” Michael laughs. “You’re worse than Gavin.”

Jake glares at him, but slips out the car anyway, pulling his case out of the back. Michael gets his bag out of the trunk, and shrugs it onto his back.

“Who’s car is this anyway?” Jake asks.

“My brothers.” Michael explains. “He’ll come pick it up from here later.”

oOo

“So… this Gavin dude- what’s he like?” Jake asks as their plane starts its slow descent into Austin, Texas. Both Jake and Michael had slept almost the whole way through the flight, and Michael rolls his head, causing his neck to make a loud clicking sound.

“He’s- uh… British, that’s one thing.” Michael tells him, smiling a little to himself. “He works with me, and that’s how we met. He’s dumb but he’s also pretty smart, when it comes to cameras and science and shit. And he’s really… _lovely_ , as he would say. He’s excited to meet you.”

Jake nods as he speaks. “Cool. Cool. And, uh- about your job,” he adds. “D’you really work with the guys who make red vs blue?”

“Yeah.” Michael laughs as the seatbelt signs flick off. “Why? You a fan?”

Jake shrugs. “Not really- no offence or anything. I love video games but… I guess I just never really watched it. I had a friend who used to fucking fan-boy over it all the time. It’s just kinda cool that you know them.”

Michael smiles. “Yeah, well now you know them too. You can probably come to work with me sometimes. See us achievement hunters in our natural habitat, right?”

Jake laughs. “Right. Still, that’s pretty cool though- playing video games for a living.” He admits, standing up and leaving his seat. Michael follows, and shrugs.

“Yeah, I mean I got lucky as hell- don’t get me wrong- it’s still _work_ but it doesn’t feel like _work_ , not really. It’s just… hanging out with a bunch of my closest friends and my fucking boyfriend joking around and playing games most of the day.”

Jake smiles. “You definitely need to fucking recommend me to your boss then.”

“I gotta know if you’re good first.” Michael jokes back, as they make their way through the plane and down to baggage claim. “But still, I don’t have to go back to work for another two days. Give you some time to settle in and shit.”

“And… what about school?” Jake asks. “I mean, I know it’s summer now but…”

“The state did all that shit already apparently. There’s a high school like twenty minutes away from my place, and you can start in the fall. No big deal, right?”

“Easy to say that when you don’t have to go.” Jake grumbles. Michael smiles sympathetically and pats Jake on the shoulder.

“I know man. It’s… not gonna be easy- I’m not gonna lie to you but… shit you gotta do.” Michael looks up at the board, reading where their bags will be collected from. “Now c’mon. let’s get outta here.”

oOo

They catch a cab from the airport, and Jake sleeps the whole way. Michael smiles as he glances back at him. Jake looks younger when he is asleep.

Michael reaches back and shakes him awake gently when they’re five minutes away, knowing Jake is probably going to want to be fully awake on meeting Gavin. Michael loves Gavin, of course, but he’s… a handful.

“We here?” Jake asks, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

“Just a couple blocks away. Thought I’d give you a couple minutes to wake up properly.” Michael explains. Jake nods, yawning again.

“Gavin’s uh… really excited to meet you.” Michael says, glancing at his phone. It isn’t a lie, Gavin’s been texting him non-stop from their apartment, anticipating when they were gonna walk through the door. Something warms in Michael’s chest and he smiles a little when he thinks about how fucking supportive Gavin is being over this whole thing. It’s one thing being with someone for two years and having a baby. It’s a whole different ball game having a fifteen-year-old shoved into your home with only a day’s warning.

“Yeah… I’m excited to meet him too.” Jake says, nodding. Michael smiles.

The cab pulls up outside his building and they climb out, gathering their luggage from the trunk. Michael pays the driver.

“You ready?” he asks Jake, as the two stand on the curb. Jake swallows.

“Here goes nothing.”

oOo

They walk through the building, and take the lift up to the third floor.

“It’s a pretty small building.” Michael rambles, to cover up the awkward silence sitting in the lift. “We’re the top floor. Apartment 4G.”

Jake nods but says nothing, and the elevator makes a _ding_ , as they reach their floor. Michael steps out first, Jake following behind him. Jake’s grip on his suitcase is impossibly tight, and his knuckles whiten. He takes a deep breath as they approach the apartment.

Michael fumbles in his pockets for his keys, shoving them into the lock and turning. Before the lock even clicks, the door is flying open, and Gavin stands, nervously biting at the skin of his thumb.

“Uh, hi.” He says, looking past Michael to Jake. “I’m Gavin.”

Jake shoots him a small smile. “I’m Jake.”

“Right- well, of course you are. I know that!” Gavin exclaims. He grins nervously, and Michael raises his eyebrows.

“Sorry.” Gavin mumbles, stepping aside so Michael and Jake can enter. “Was… was your flight aright?”

“It was fine.” Michael replies. “We slept most of the way.” He explains, resting his bag against the wall.

“Uh… where should I put my stuff?” Jake asks, hands awkwardly in his hoodie-pockets.

“Oh. Right, sorry! Right down here, mate.” Gavin rambles, rushing down the corridor in the apartment. He stops in front of the door right at the end of the corridor, and pushes the door open.

“This is- was, our spare room but… it’s yours now. It’s not really… decorated or anything but- if you want, you can… whatever.” He splutters, as Jake steps inside and places his bag against the wall. The room is spacious, but not huge, and the walls are a light grey colour. The bed has a navy bedspread and in the room sits a wardrobe and a dresser.

“It’s… pretty nice.” Jake says. “Nicer than my room at home.” He sits on the bed, and looks back to Gavin and Michael, who stand in the doorway. “My old room… I mean.”

“Yeah.” Michael sighs. “Well… you said you like gaming right?” he asks, desperate to change the subject. Jake nods. “We’ve got a spare Xbox in one of the closets, you can have it, and we’ll get a TV in here for you.”

“Wow… uh, thanks man.” Jake says. Michael thinks he sees the hint of a smile for a second, but it quickly disappears.

“No problem.” He assures.

“So… d’you want us just to… leave you to unpack and stuff- for a bit?” Gavin asks. Jake nods, and smiles weakly at the two.

“Thanks guys. For everything.” He says. The look in his eyes is genuine, and he doesn’t want to admit he feels a little bit warm inside by the way Gavin grins wide and Michael’s smile grows small on his face.

Michael places his hand on Gavin's shoulder, pulling the Brit back, and the door closes. Gavin looks to Michael, and grins.

“Hey.” He breathes. Michael grins back.

“Hey.” He replies, leaning in to kiss Gavin firmly on the lips. He pulls away, and the two walk back into the main room, Gavin’s fingers laced loosely between Michaels.

“I missed you.” Gavin says, moving close to Michael so he can rest next to him, nestling his head against Michaels.

“I missed you too.” Michael smiles, kissing Gavin on the cheek before releasing him and walking over to the fridge. He pulls out a beer, twisting off the top and takes a sip. “It’s been a long couple of days.” He admits, rubbing the back of his neck as he flops down on the couch.

“Hopefully things will get back to normal now though, right?” Gavin asks, sitting next to Michael. Michael shrugs, taking another swig of his beer.

“Gavin. We’ve just gained a fifteen-year-old kid. _Nothing_ is _ever_ going to be _normal_ again.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake grows closer to Michael and Gavin, and also has his first experiences of Roosterteeth.

That night, neither Gavin nor Michael saw or heard anything else from Jake. Around eight o’clock, when neither of them could hold their hunger anymore, Gavin caved and knocked on his bedroom door, but was met with no answer. He sent a worried glance to Michael, who sighed.

“Leave him. He's had a rough few days.  Let’s just get some food and go to bed.”

And that’s what they did. Michael fell asleep quickly, worn out from all the travel, and Gavin followed, resting his head close to Michael’s, finally being able to sleep peacefully knowing Michael was back beside him.

Michael slept for a few hours, until he awoke. Michael had always been a light sleeper, and his eyes bolted open once he heard it. The clinking of glass. The running of the tap.

He frowned, standing up.

 _Shit? Am I being burgled?_ He wondered. With a worried look to Gavin’s sleeping form, Michael slipped out of bed and walked out of his bedroom. His heart was hammering, and he glanced to the spare bedroom. The door was ajar.

Michael sighed, relieved. _Right. Jake._

He was about to turn back to his room when he heard it. He froze, and frowned when he heard the sniffing sound. If he had so much have stepped backwards, he wouldn’t have heard it over the sound of Gavin's soft snores, but he did- and stepped outside.

He padded through the corridor silently, and approached the main room. Jake was leant against the kitchen counter, half drunk glass of water beside him. He was hunched over, head resting on one of his hands, dark hair flopping by his forehead. He sobbed silently, again as Michael stepped forwards, foot making the floorboard creak. Jake jumped, neck snapping to look at Michael. His eyes were ringed red, and he looked to Michael like a deer in headlights and breathed heavily.

“It’s okay.” Michael whispered. “You- you don’t have to say anything.”

Jake nodded once, before his lip trembled again, and he rested his head back in his hands. Michael stepped forwards nervously, unsure what to make of the situation. He reached out to touch the boy, but hesitated at the last minute, hand hovering above his sobbing form.

“I loved your mom.” Michael admitted. Jake didn't look up, but hummed once, signalling he was listening. “Never like… never like she loved me, but- she was a good friend. She didn't have anyone… no family, her parents were distant and… when she got pregnant with you… she was fucking terrified. She was young, sixteen man- barely a little older than you. Imagine that dude, having a baby at your age? Fuck that, right? She asked me to… be like a guardian for you because we were friends, and I agreed because I knew she really needed me to. After I moved out here… I didn't fucking think twice about it. I never even… imagined, I’d be put in this situation.”

“So why’d you take me on?” Jake asked, voice thick from crying. He rubbed at his eyes furiously, and pushed himself up to a stand, turning to Michael.

“Because… even if I was a stupid kid and I didn't realise it at the time… when I agreed to be your guardian… I made a promise to her that I’d be there for you when you needed me. And now I’m an adult and… I take my promises seriously.”

Jake downed the rest of his water, and the glass clanked as he placed it back on the counter.

“You’re a good guy, Michael.” He said. “You’re one of the good guys.”

Michael smiled. “Thanks. Now get back to bed, it’s fucking three am. We’re going shopping tomorrow.”

Jake frowned. “Shopping?” he asked. “For what?”

Michael chuckled as he headed down the corridor. “Gavin’s insisting you have your room decorated. And he gets real cranky when he doesn’t get what he wants.”

oOo

“Oh! Michael, look at this one!” Gavin exclaims for maybe the seventh time that afternoon, pointing at a black desk with silver legs. Michael and Jake both roll their eyes, but smile anyway, nodding.

“Let’s get that one then.” Michael says, for the seventh time. Gavin shrugs, and frowns.

“I don’t know. I did like that beech one we saw a minute ago.” He turns around on his heels, squinting through the isles as he searches for the desk. Michael looks at Jake, who groans. Michael scoffs.

“Gav. Please. Pick a fucking desk, yeah?”

Gavin pouts. “Fine. Let’s just get the black one. At least it matches the TV!”

Michael and Jake haul the flat pack out of the shelf, and rest it onto the IKEA flat-cart, atop the 30’’ plasma. Gavin sits on top of the boxes as Michael grabs hold of the cart handles and pushes them through the isles as Gavin babbles about colours and bedspreads and computers.

“You guys really don’t need to get all this stuff for me.” Jake mumbles for maybe the third time that day, hands tucked into his dark jeans. “Seriously. You’re good enough taking me in your home and shit.”

“Dude. Shut the fuck up.” Michael replies, glancing behind him. “Consider it a make-up for not getting you any birthday or Christmas presents. Ever.”

“Fine.” Jake mumbles, following as they head to the check-outs.

The price it all comes to is ridiculous, and Jake raises his eyebrows, immediately feeling guilty. Michael shoots him a comforting look as Gavin hand’s over a silver card, smiling widely.

“Home now?” Jake asks as they head back through the parking lot. Michael mumbles under his breath, “I wish.” Just as Gavin shakes his head, climbing in the car and saying. “Not even close, Jakey!”

“Don’t call me that.” Jake reminds him.

“But Jake! You’re just so cute!” Gavin teases, reaching down to tug at Jake’s cheek and grinning. Jake rolls his eyes, but let’s Gavin prod him, laughing.

“Sorry dude. I may or may not have decided to get with a moron.” Michael says closing the boot of the car with a heavy thud.

“You’re telling me.” He agrees, but he catches Gavin’s eyes in the rear-view mirror as they both climb into the car and smiles. Gavin smiles back, extra wide, and neither of them notice Michael watching, a small grin on his face.

oOo

“He is really lovely Michael.” Gavin says, laying against Michael’s shoulder that night in bed. Michael nods his head, staring up at the ceiling, wordlessly.

“Like… he’s not a brat or anything. Not a complete asshole, like some kids can be. He’s actually,” Gavin yawns “Really really nice.”

“I’m glad you like him.” Michael says, hands tucked behind his head. “Things could’ve been really shit if you guys didn't get along.” He looks down from the ceiling to Gavin, laid on Michael’s chest. “I’m kinda nervous about him meeting the guys tomorrow at work… I’d leave him here but… I kinda don’t wanna leave him alone yet. It’s been like two days since… everything and I don’t wanna leave him.”

“It’ll be fine, Michael.” Gavin assures him, cuddling closer into Michael and getting comfortably, eyes falling closed. “He said he likes games, so I’m sure he’ll get on just fine with everyone.”

“Yeah. You’re probably right, for once- congratulations.” Michael replies, smiling to himself. Gavin rolls his eyes, and laughs once.

“Well, don’t let it keep you up all night- get some sleep. Gotta be bright and cheery for all that recording we’re doing.”

oOo

Jake lays awake in his room, hands clasped tightly on his chest, eyes fixed to the ceiling. He tries to close his eyes and fall asleep, but all he sees is her.

Her smile. Her laugh, heck- even the way her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pouted when she was pissed at him for swearing at a teacher or coming home late. He’d be grounded for life if it meant she was okay.

He knows it had nothing to do with him why she was in the car at that particular time on that particular day, but he still feels guilty. Guilty that he didn't fuck up somewhere somehow and get her to change her plans, whizzing over to kick his balls in and shout his fucking ear off. Guilty that he didn't call her whilst he was out that night, just to tell her he loved her, one last time.

So instead of closing his eyes, and dwelling over the memories and the _what if’s_ and the ‘ _could’ve been’s_ he looks up to the ceiling and thinks of Michael.

His general opinion of Michael Jones for most of his life, was that the guy was an asshole. An asshole who left his heartbroken mother behind in NYC to pursue some stupid video game dream all the way across the country in Austin.

But then he had met Michael. Sitting in that fucking conference room, with the woman named Linda who wore too much make up and had blonde hair with dark roots, he was fully convinced Michael was simply going to sign off some paperwork and send him off into a care-home, never looking back again. He just assumed that Michael would just be the disappointment his dad always was, never giving a shit about him.

He remembers the one time he met his dad, bumping into him as a kid in the middle of a department store. He’ll never forget the way his dad frowned at his mom, before glancing at Jake like a piece of shit stuck to his shoe. The way his eyes glazed over as he ‘un-saw’ them, before he carried on walking straight past them and out of his life. That was the day when Jake decided he didn't need a dad. Fuck a father, and fuck a father figure, he had his _mom._

But then he met Michael. It was early days, but Michael was already just as good- in fact, _better_ than his piece of shit dad could ever be. Fuck his dad for not wanting him, he actually had someone who gave a shit about him. Michael had given him a home, and then Gavin had swiped his credit card and built him a room.

Michael and Gavin, in less than two days, had become his family.

oOo

 “Jake, nice to meet ya, I’m Burnie Burns.”

Jake blinks back into reality as he looks at the man standing in front of him. Burnie Burns, Michael’s boss. He smiles weakly and shakes Burnie’s outstretched hand as firmly as he can, feeling Michael’s hand settle comfortingly on his shoulder.

“Uh. Hey.” He mumbles. He isn’t really sure how to act in these situations, meeting new people and finding new friends. It’s already enough pressure hanging around at Michael’s job, too much of a risk of fucking everything up for Michael and Gavin. He doesn’t want to be a bother, or an inconvenience, but Michael insists he’ll be more than welcome, and Gavin tells him they’re pretty lax, and he’ll have the time of his life.

“Sorry for your loss.” Burnie says. Jake just nods, and he feel’s Michael’s hand squeeze his shoulder.

“Thanks.” He nods. Burnie looks to Michael, who smiles at him.

“Right. Well, hang about wherever you want dude, anything in the kitchen fridge is game unless someone’s got their name on it. Unless that name is Gus, then absolutely steal his food- please. Just, keep an eye out for any on-air signs as not to fuck up any recordings. AH office is just down the hall, first door on your right and if you need me for anything, I’m out in the other building.” He nods to the door, and smiles.

“Thanks, uh, Mr. Burns.”

“Please- I’m not a fucking Simpsons character. Michael, do I look like an old man?” he jokes. Michael smirks.

“I don’t know Burns. Getting on a bit these days, aren’t you?” he replies.

Burnie laughs, but not in a mean way. Michael laughs with him, and nervously, Jake smiles.

“Call me Burnie.” Burnie finishes. Jake nods.

“Burnie.” The name still feels foreign on his tongue. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Jake turns and heads down the corridor towards the Achievement Hunter office, leaving Michael and Burnie alone. Burnie watches him go, smiling weakly.

“Holy Shit, how long’s it been?” he asks.

“About three days.” Michael says, running a hand through his hair. “He’s holding up pretty well but… he’s still torn up about it. Me and Gav are just… trying to take it easy on him.”

“You’re a good kid Michael.” Burnie says. “Heck- you’re not a kid, you're a full grown fucking man. Now with a kid!” he adds. “But you’re still a loud-mouthed kid form New Jersey to me. And you’re absolutely doing the right thing here. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks Burnie.” Michael smiles. Burnie nods at him, before heading out the door, calling over his shoulder, “Now get to fucking work! Those let’s play’s don’t fucking film themselves!”

oOo

Jake walks into the office, where Gavin is already sitting at his desk, leant back in his chair and conversing with a guy with a huge moustache and tattoos who he assumes is Geoff. There’s a blonde guy sitting at another desk, and as he walks in, a skinny guy with dark hair emerges from round the corner. They all stop as the door clicks, and Gavin sits up, smiling.

“Jake. You alright mate?” He asks. Jake nods.

“Hey buddy, I’m Geoff.” Geoff walks over, outstretching is hand and introducing himself. Jake nods, and shakes it, noting Geoff’s surprisingly lax handshake.

“I hear you like games.” Geoff says. Jake shrugs.

“I dabble.” He mumbles. He hears Gavin scoff from across the room as the Brit stands, and walks over.

“Dabbles! Tell him your Gamerscore Jake! Tell him!”

Jake blushes a little, but Gavin is still grinning. He bites his lip.

“It’s not that great. It’s like… 350.”

“Three hundred and fifty?” Geoff asks.

“Yeah. Three hundred and fifty thousand.” He replies. Geoff’s eyebrows raise, and Jake immediately feels embarrassed. “Sorry. It’s pretty shit.”

“Holy Fuck are you stupid or just kidding?” Geoff asks. “Hey, Ray!” he calls. “Looks like you and Michael have finally got some competition! We got a 350k over here!”

“Holy fuck, congrats dude!” Ray says, coming over. “I’m Ray by the way.”

“Nice to meet you.” Jake nods.

“And the quiet creepy one over there is Ryan.” Ray adds. At the sound of his name, Ryan tears his attention away from his computer, swivelling in his chair. He isn’t exactly creepy in his demeanour, shooting a warm smile across the room.

“Hi. I’m Ryan.”

“Jake.”

Ryan nods and turns back to his computer.

“You can just chuck your stuff there Jake.” Gavin says, nodding to a sofa that sits across the room. Jake sits down slowly, his bag at his feet. He pulls out his notepad and a pencil, tapping the pencil lightly against the paper.

“You’re an artist?” Geoff asks. Jake blushes, thinking nobody had noticed him.

“Uh, not really.” He says. “I like to draw but… it’s just a shitty hobby, that’s all.” Geoff shrugs. “Hey, that’s what I used to say about video games. Just a shitty hobby… look at me now!”

Geoff doesn’t wait for a reply, just heads over to his desk, leaving behind only a warm smile and a soft smell of whisky. It reminds Jake of the bar his mother sometimes worked in back home. As Michael enters, Jake flicks back a few pages in his sketchbook, stopping on an image of his mother.

“That’s pretty good.” Michael says, startling him. Jake snaps the sketchpad shut, and turns to look at Michael. Michael doesn’t say anything, and doesn’t wait for Jake to speak either, just pats his shoulder sympathetically and heads over to his desk.

Jake puts his sketchbook back into his backpack. It’s going to be a long day.

oOo

“Hey, you know anything about COD?” comes a voice. Jake is stirred from his thoughts and turns to see Ray, pulling a water bottle out of the fridge. Jake sips at his own redbull, and shrugs.

“Yeah, it’s a pretty good game.” He says. Ray smiles.

“What’s your favourite?”

Jake doesn’t miss a beat. “Ghosts.” Rays small smile grows into a grin, and he reaches his hand up to offer Jake a high-five, which he accepts. “Nice, dude.” He says, smiling. “Nobody in the AH office really gives a shit about COD, to be honest. But I do achievement guides for it and shit whenever I can.”

“Yeah?” Jake asks. “I hear you’re pretty good. Gavin said you’ve got the highest Gamerscore in the entire company.”

Ray shrugs. “Yeah. I wouldn’t call myself an extroadinare gamer or anything, there are plenty of people in the world with a higher Gamerscore than mine- Michael’s is pretty good too. He’s closest to me.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen Michael play. He’s pretty awesome.”

“Hey! But I hear you’re pretty awesome too.” Ray adds, leaning against the counter. Jake smirks.

“Yeah. I’m alright.” He says nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders. “But like you said, there are always people who’re gonna be better.”

Ray nods in agreement, and chugs the rest of his water, tossing the empty bottle into the bin. “I’ve gotta get back so we can film a let’s play, but it was cool speaking to you Jake. I hope you hang out around here more.”

Jake likes Ray. On his second day shadowing Michael around achievement hunter, he and Ray go out to lunch with Gavin and Michael. Gavin and Michael spend the entire lunch flirting whilst Jake and Ray spend the entire lunch rolling their eyes and mocking them. But Jake doesn’t mind. It’s nice to have made a friend.

On his third day at achievement hunter, he’s sitting at Michael’s desk, playing a quick online match with Ray in order to help him get an achievement for a guide. When they’re finished, he spins around in his chair and jumps as he notices Geoff, standing right behind him. The Gent nods at him and smiles approvingly. “Nice.” Is all he says. But the compliment warms Jake a little inside.

On his fourth day, Ray isn’t in and Jake starts to feel a little lonely as Gavin and Michael are whisked off to be on the RT Podcast. Michael looks reluctant to leave Jake and Jake is reluctant to hold Michael back, so he tells him to go, and he’ll be fine. The achievement hunter office is empty except for Ryan, who sits at his computer, editing a GTA V Let’s Play. But the blonde stops as Jake enters the room, turning and smiling at him.

“Oh. Hey Jake.” He says. Jake smiles awkwardly at him.

“Hey… Ryan.”

All awkwardness has faded by the third GTA Deathmatch, and Jake feels a weird sense of pride when he has Ryan splitting his sides laughing at a story Jake tells about his friend Rory getting caught talking to the virtual strippers. But still, through the tears of laughter, Ryan manages to gain the upper hand on him. But Jake doesn’t mind.

He likes Ryan, and his dark sense of humour. But all in all, Ryan is a nice guy. He isn’t exactly a psychopath or a murderer, just a normal guy with an insanely deep voice and a liking for cows in Minecraft. Ryan confides in Jake that he used to be a male model, and Jake almost feels guilty for laughing aloud.

That’s how Michael finds them, an hour and a half later, laughing side by side as they compete in a GTA Race.

“You ready to go, buddy?” he asks. Jake turns and smiles at Michael entering the room, before quickly turning back to the game.

“Yeah, just one more lap, sorry Michael.”

Michael catches eyes with Ryan and smiles. “No problem. We’ve gotta wait for Gavin to get his ass here anyway. He’s probably fucking something up somewhere.”

Gavin returns ten minutes after Ryan leaves, with a swollen finger and a pained expression. Jake laughs and Michael joins him, as Gavin pouts like a child.

“It was Geoff! Bastard!” he exclaims. Michael just tells him to shut the fuck up, and ushers them out into the car.

“So, Jake…d’you like it at Roosterteeth?” Gavin asks, strop officially over.

“Yeah. It’s pretty cool. I can see you guys all love what you do and I can't blame you, playing video games all day _is_ pretty cool.”

“Yeah, it is.” Michael agrees, turning out of the studio car park. “You can come hang out again tomorrow if you want, or you can just stay at home.”

Jake shrugs. “I don’t know, do you want me to stay at home?”

“I love having you there Jake,” Michael insists. “But I don’t want you to get bored. It isn’t all video-games, I mean, you saw how me and Gavin are constantly being rushed from place to place, record this, film that- you know the deal. I hated the idea of leaving you home alone but leaving you alone at work seems worse somehow.”

Jake scoffs. “I’m not fucking seven Michael, I can take care of myself.”

Michael shrugs. “I know. I’m just saying if you wanna chill at home tomorrow you can.”

“Alright.” Jake says, content to leave the conversation at that. “I'll see how I feel in the morning I guess.”


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jake stays home, and breaks Michael's trust. And trust isn't the only thing broken.

Jake decides to stay home for that day, and Michael doesn’t give it a second thought. Jake’s a pretty grown up kid, and Michael trusts him at home. He leaves thirty dollars on the countertop in case Jake needs anything, and leaves with a goodbye wave, walking out of the apartment hand in hand with Gavin.

“He’ll be fine, won't he?” Gavin asks, glancing back at the door. Michael nods.

“He’s a big kid, Gavin. He’ll be fine.”

oOo

Work is… well, It’s work. Working for Roosterteeth and playing video games every day was the never the kind of job Michael was ever going to dread going to, but it’s a particularly chilly afternoon, and he loses some of his footage and they end up having to record three extra let’s play’s because Geoff is going to be out of town and there are a couple of things he wanted to get filmed.

So it’s one of those days where it hasn’t exactly been bad, but it hasn’t been the best either. They also leave the office well later than intended, and Michael shoots an apology text off to Jake, for staying behind so long. He doesn’t get a reply, but doesn’t really think much of it. He leaves with his arm slung around Gavin’s shoulder tiredly, the two walking out into the car park.

“It’s been a long bloody day.” Gavin sighs. “Still, what do you say we just do _nothing_ all night? Maybe order some food in or something, because I don’t know about you- but I can't be arsed to cook.”

They slip into the car and Michael laughs. “You say that like I make you cook for me every day!”

“I do cook for you sometimes!” Gavin protests.

“Yeah,” Michael laughs. “Beans on toast!”

“That’s a perfectly plausible meal!”

Michael feels the tension in his shoulders ebb away as he engages in a bit of friendly banter with Gavin the whole drive home. The little touch of familiarity always makes him forget about a stressful day he’s had. He wants nothing more than to go home, cuddle up with Gavin on the sofa (even if that means being gagged at by Jake), to watch some _Always_ _Sunny_ re-runs and maybe even just have beans on toast for dinner. It’s the little things, he thinks, that can turn a day around.

They pull into their complex and head up to their apartment in a happy silence, hands loosely intertwined and swinging as they walk through the corridor leading to their door. They notice one of their neighbours and give a polite greeting, before heading inside.

The apartment is completely dark, which is Michael’s first concern. Gavin flicks the light on and frowns.

“Jake?” he calls. There is no answer. Gavin looks at Michael and shrugs.

“Check if he’s in his room. He’s probably got his headphones on or something.”

Michael nods, and tries to ignore the worry in his gut as he turns down the hallway leading to Jake’s bedroom. He knocks on the door a few times, loudly, and scowls as he is met with no answer.

“Jake!” he calls through the door. “I’m coming in! I hope for your sake you’re not fucking jerking off or something.”

Michael turns the handle, swinging the door open quickly. The room is dark, so he flicks on the light. Jake isn’t in there.

“He isn’t here.” He calls out to Gavin. “He’s fucking… _disappeared._ ”

He heads back into the main room, arms crossed angrily. “Where the fuck could he be?” He asks aloud, pacing the room frantically.

“Look Michael,” Gavin says, nodding to the kitchen counter.

“Look at what? There’s nothing there!”

“Exactly. No cash. He’s probably nipped out to the shop or something.” Gavin explains. He steps towards Michael, and runs his hands calmingly through his hair. “Just relax. He’ll be back soon.”

oOo

The hours tick on, along with the countless calls and texts to Jake’s phone, which they then discover he has actually left it in his bedroom. None of his stuff is missing, so Gavin insists he can’t have run away, and begs Michael not to phone the police.

“Well then where the fuck is he?!” Michael spits angrily, leg shaking up and down. “I don’t understand where he would possibly go for this fucking long!”

“Friend’s house?” Gavin offers.

“He doesn’t have any fucking friends Gavin, he’s only been here for two fucking seconds.” Michael snaps. Gavin recoils a little, and Michael sighs.

“I’m sorry. It’s just… it’s late and I’m worried about him.”

“Come to bed.” Gavin says. Michael shakes his head.

“I won't be able to sleep until I know he’s home.”

“Aright.” Gavin sighs, moving back to sit beside Michael on the sofa. “Then I’m staying with you.”

“Gav, you don’t have to-”

“No, I care about Jake’s safety too Michael. I'll stay.”

Michael sighs, and throws his arm around Gavin, letting the Brit rest his head against Michael’s chest. “Alright. Let’s wait.”

oOo

It’s twenty minutes past midnight when the door finally clicks open. Gavin is asleep, his head on Michael’s lap, so Michael stands up, gently resting Gavin against the sofa’s cushions.

“Hey.” Jake whispers, cheeks flushed from the cold. He digs into his hoodie pockets, and pulls out a ten dollar bill and some coins. “Here’s your change.”

“What the fuck kind of time do you call this?” Michael whispers angrily, trying to ignore how much like a _dad_ he sounds.

“Uh. Zero-twenty three.” Jake says, confused.

“Why the fuck didn't you call? Or take your phone, at least? What the fuck Jake!”

“Sorry.” Jake says, holding his hands up defensively. “I just went out.” He shrugs, turning to walk into his bedroom. Michael stops him, grabbing him by the shoulder.

“You should’ve told me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Where did you go?” Michael asks. Jake shrugs.

“I went for a walk.” He says. “No big deal.”

“No big deal?!” Michael shouts. They both glance at Gavin, who thankfully, is still asleep. Michael lowers his voice. “It’s fucking past midnight Jake. And you don’t know Austin, not well enough to be out this late. You’re fucking fifteen for God’s sake.”

“Get off my back.” Jake retorts, shrugging Michael’s hand from his shoulders. His fists clench at his sides. “I just went out. Now I'm back, leave it, okay?”

“Stop being a little brat Jake!”

“Stop treating me like a little kid.”

“Stop fucking acting like one then!”

“Fuck this.” Jack mumbles.

He pushes past Michael easily this time, heading into his bedroom. Michael bumps his fist against the wall angrily, but restrains himself enough not to throw a full punch.

He walks calmly back over to Gavin, who is still sound asleep, and lifts him into his arms. He walks them both to the bedroom and shoots an angry, tired glance at Jake’s door.

oOo

He fills Gavin in on every detail of the previous night’s conversation, before storming out the door and heading to work. Gavin doesn’t have to be in until eleven today, to help Burnie film something which will take up the rest of his day. So he nurses his cup of tea, and stares awkwardly across the kitchen counter at Jake, who has a stony look on his face and dark circles under his eyes as he eats his cereal.

“He didn't mean it, you know.” Gavin says, catching the teenagers attention. “Whatever he said to you, it was out of anger. He doesn’t mean it. He never does.”

“He get angry at you a lot?” Jake asks. Gavin shrugs.

“Sometimes, but I usually deserve it. Just like you deserved it last night, you little _twat_.”

“I went out for a walk.” Jake regurgitates his own words, spoon clanking against his now empty bowl.

“I know.” Gavin says, nodding his head. “But you could’ve taken your phone. One call. One text. Michael trusted you Jake, and if you asked, he probably would let you come home late and stuff. But not anymore, now you’ve broken his trust.”

“My mom fucking died Gavin-”

“I know Jake. And it’s an absolutely fucking awful situation that you’ve apparently found yourself in. but you’ve got to learn to deal with it like someone with just a little maturity. Unfortunately, you’ve got to grow up.”

“Like you? Because you’re so fucking mature and grown up?”

“I didn't have to grow up!” Gavin retorts. “You don’t have a choice.”

He dumps the rest of his tea in the sink, and leaves for his bedroom, leaving Jake alone in the kitchen. He rests his head in his hands, and rubs at his face.

He’s a fucking idiot, he knows that, and he needs to make things right with Michael and Gavin. They took him in, bought him shit, and he’s treated them like shit. But _fuck_ , it’s hard. It’s hard having no parents.

He can't stand to think of his dad, who doesn’t even want him. He doesn’t want to think of his mom either, because it’s still too painful. He lashes out at Gavin and Michael and for some reason he can’t quite stop himself. He wants to act like a huge brat and do what the fuck he likes, if that can make him forget.

Forget about _her._ Forget about _him_. He needs a way to fucking forget it all.

oOo

It’s at eleven PM that night when Gavin stands up from his seat on the sofa, and looks to Michael. “I’m going to bed, love.”

“I’m staying here. I’m waiting for him.”

“Michael,” Gavin sighs. “He’ll come home. He's just being an arsehole and blowing off some steam because he’s upset and he doesn’t know how to deal with it. You shouldn’t lose your sleep over it.”

Michael just shakes his head and sighs. “I can’t Gav. I’ve gotta know when he walks through that door, that he’s okay. He’s my responsibility, and I need him to know that I really care about him. I want to fix things.”

“Alright.” Gavin says. He leans down and kisses Michael softly on the lips. “Goodnight Michael.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.” Gavin yawns, stretching once before disappearing into the bedroom. Michael leans back further on the couch, and switches the TV off. Now, he waits.

oOo

A few hours later the door clicks, opening quietly, and Michael turns to see Jake’s silhouetted figure, swaying visibly through the light of the hallway behind him.

“ _Michael_! _Gavin_!” he slurs. Michael clenches his fist, and wills himself to breathe slowly. “I know you’re up waiting for me!”

Because Jake is fucking drunk. It’s blindingly obvious by the way he staggers into the room, legs barely able to support his thin frame. He clings onto the kitchen counter, and he giggles, trying to stay upright.

“Wher- where’s _Gavino_?” he asks with a stupid scrawled smile on his face, glancing around the dark apartment. Michael stands and walks over to him, trying to supress the rage that wants to flood through from his mind to his mouth. And maybe fists.

“Gavin's asleep Jake. Do you know what time it is?” he asks, in as calm a tone of voice that he can manage. Jake shrugs.

“I don’t know… what’s the time, Mr Wolf?” he asks, and laughs at his own joke afterwards, clutching at his side. He tries to step forwards, and nearly falls, but Michael catches him.

“It’s 3AM, Jake. It’s 3 fucking AM!” Michael exclaims. He tries to keep his voice down out of consideration for Gavin, even if the Brit can sleep through a storm. He doesn’t want this to get any bigger than it already is.

But Jake can barely stand by now, and Michael has to lean him against the wall. Still, he can't stop moving, swaying and rolling his head against the wall, smiling dumbly.

“I can't fucking believe you!” Michael says, shaking his head. “I fucking trusted you Jake! When I agreed to this, I didn't wanna be like a parent. I’m not trying to replace your mom or your dad- I just wanted to be someone who could be there for you. I’m cool with you swearing and going out and shit, but I’m not fucking okay with this! I _trusted_ you!”

Jake frowns. “Oh, just fuck _off_ Michael. _Fuck_ off, and _fuck you.”_ He mumbles, limply hitting his hand out to push Michael away from his face.

“No, I’m not gonna fuck off Jake. Not till I understand what the fuck you thought you were doing, going out and getting drunk.”

“We all make mistakes!” Jake retorts, voice rising. Michael winces at his sloppily loud tones, but refuses to back down. “Including you, Mr _Rage Quit_. You make a living off of not holding your temper, so why are you doing it now? Go on, shout at me! Tell me off!” he challenges, pushing against Michael’s chest weakly. Michael’s fists clench, but he breathes in and takes a step back.

“Jake, you need to calm do-”

“No!” Jake shouts. “I’m not gonna fucking calm down Michael.” His breath is unsteady, and his eyes are red and bloodshot with a mixture of tears and alcohol. “My mom fucking died, Michael! She’s fucking dead!” he sobs, grabbing onto his hair with his fists. “She’s fucking _DEAD_.” He repeats.

“I know.” Michael whispers, trying to reach out to hold Jake close to him, but the teenager flinches away from his touch.

“Don’t fucking touch me.” Jake slurs. “You don’t know anything! You don’t know how it feels, to have your _only family_ fucking _ripped_ away from you! Maybe tonight I just wanted to fucking feel something for the first time since!”

Michael swallows thickly. He breathes in and out slowly as he watches Jake, chest heaving and tear tracks streaming his face. “Jake. You can’t fucking do this man- you can't. Drinking and all this shit, it’s not gonna solve your problems, and it’s not fucking okay!”

“Oh well- I guess I’m just a big fucking disappointment to you too then Michael. Sorry for fucking bothering you, I'll just pack my stuff and go!” Jake slurs, trying to wobble forwards and leave the room, but Michael stops him easily, moving him back against the wall.

“You’re not going anywhere Jake. I’m not gonna let you leave.” He says. Jake lashes out against him, trying to fight back, but Michael’s grip on his arms is too strong.

“Get off!” he protests.

“Not until you calm down!”

“Just stop it!” Jake roars. He pauses, for a moment, trying to catch his breath, but fails. He stares Michael dead in the eyes. “You’re not my fucking _dad_ Michael!”

There is a long moment of silence. Michael feels like a blade has ripped through his chest and his world has collapsed underneath him. His grip on Jake’s arms loosens just as the teenager finally breaks, collapsing into sobs straight into Michael’s chest.

“But _fuck it_ , I wish you were.”

Michael’s arms wrap around Jake instantly, cradling the boy into him.

“I know buddy, I know.” He whispers, rocking the two of them back and forth. A few stray tears pour from his own eyes as he hugs Jake tighter, but he blinks them away.

“Why doesn’t he want me Michael? Why aren’t I good enough for him?” Jake wails.

“Don’t talk like that.” Michael whispers. “You’re better than him. You’re a thousand fucking times better than him.”

Michael looks up at the sound of footsteps, and sees a half-asleep Gavin standing in front of him.

“What’s going on?” he mouths. Michael just shakes his head, and continues to cradle Jake in his arms.

“Come on man, let’s get you to bed yeah?”

“Yeah, okay.” comes Jake’s muffled reply.

Michael walks Jake into his bedroom, putting him in bed and throwing his blanket over him. Jake turns over, nuzzling his head in the pillow.

“Could you be my dad, Michael?” he asks, hiccupping slightly on Michael’s name. “If I asked, would you?”

“I would.” Michael says, smiling to himself and running his hand through Jake’s hair. “I’d do anything if you asked Jake. Goodnight buddy.”

“I love you Michael.”

Michael’s breath catches in his throat. “I love you too man.”

oOo

“I don’t know Gav.” Michael sighs, sitting up in bed and pulling his shirt off. “He asked me to be his dad. And I- I fucking wanna be his dad. I really do. it’s weird, because we’re so close in age and whatever but… he’s just gone through a lot recently, and I- fuck, Gavin I’d do anything for him.”

“Michael.” Gavin smiles, hugging Michael softly and laying the two down together. “You’re so good. And you’d make an amazing dad.”

“You think?” Michael asks, staring up into the blackness of the ceiling.

“Yeah, I do.” Gavin admits with a sigh. Michael shifts slightly so he can face Gavin. “Do... do you think maybe we could… adopt him?”

“What, like officially?” Gavin asks, frowning at Michael, who nods.

“Yeah. l bet we probably could.”

“We’d probably have to move. Get a house or something rather than this apartment.”

“And there’d be a shit ton of paperwork.”

“And we’ve got to ask Jake if he want that, he might not-”

“And it would involve Jake’s real father signing over his rights to Jake.”

Gavin stops, and smiles. “Maybe we could.” He says with a grin, leaning forward to wrap his arms around Michael, who wears a matching grin.

“Yeah.” Michael breathes. He imagines a time where that would be possible. He thinks that maybe he doesn’t have to imagine that place. That maybe it could be a reality. He looks at Gavin, and softly grins. “yeah, maybe we could.”


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after Jake's outburst. Geoff gives some good advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I finally logged back into my twitter account, so follow me there! @PAPERSK1N

They sit down with Jake that morning at breakfast, the teenager clutching his glass of water like it is his salvation. Gavin smiles at him sympathetically and Michael slides him an aspirin.

“Hangover’s a bitch, right?”

Jake just glares back, but Michael knows he isn’t serious. He ruffles Jake’s hair and laughs softly, before turning and picking up a plate full of food, and putting it down in front of Jake.

“Full English.” Gavin says, taking his own plate. “Best cure for a hangover.”

Hesitantly, Jake cuts himself a bit off egg and bacon and eats it. Satisfied, he smiles a little as he chews. It does make him feel a little bit better, but that doesn’t explain the odd looks Michael and Gavin are shooting him. He half expects them to be angry but they're not… they're just… _smiling_.

It’s suspicious as hell.

The silent smiles continue for a while until Jake can’t take it anymore. “Okay, what the hell are you guys smiling about?” he asks, trying not to snap.

Gavin and Michael glance at each other. They have a silent conversation, finishing with Michael nodding slightly at Gavin. Gavin turns back to him.

“Last night, Jake… me and Michael were talking… about something you said.” He says. Jake frowns.

“Are you mad at me?” he asks cautiously.

They both shake their heads. “No. not at all.” Gavin says quickly “You’ve had a rough time… and you said something that just made us think, that’s all.”

“What did I say?” Jake is now even more suspicious. A lot of the previous night for him is a blur of shouting and arguing and a little bit of crying, followed by Michael tucking him into bed.

Michael stiffens a little, and avoids eye contact. “You uh,” he stares at his plate. “You asked me to be your dad.”

Jake blushes. Michael continues. “And you said you loved me.”

“Shit. Sorry man- I didn't mean to-”

“-No, it’s fine! I just… did you really- did you mean it? The dad thing?” Michael asks. Jake is surprised how unsure and vulnerable Michael looks, pushing his bacon around his plate. Gavin looks anxious too, looking frantically between them. Jake swallows.

“Uh. Yeah. Yeah I guess I did.”

Michael smiles. “Cool. Just… because me and Gavin were thinking… we know it’s only been a week or whatever and… it’s not something that we’d be able to do straight away, it’d probably be months and shit but…”

“Spit it out Michael!” Gavin says excitedly. Michael smiles.

“We were thinking maybe we could adopt you. If- if you wanted to that’s all.”

Not many things catch Jake of guard, but this stuns him immediately. He sits there, looking between Michael and Gavin, and suddenly, his mouth doesn’t work anymore. He would like to say ‘yes, I very much would like you to be my dad yes definitely.’ He would also like to get up and run as far away as he fucking can, possibly all the way back to New York and stay in a care home for the rest of his miserable life.

“You don’t have to.” Michael says. “Sorry for even-”

“I-” Jake looks between them. “I don’t know. Maybe? Yes… no- I’m not… I don’t know. Could you?”

Michael shrugs. “We- we could, I guess. But… you don’t have to make a decision yet or anything. You can… whatever.”

“Right.” Jake nods, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He stands. “I-I’m gonna go and get dressed.”

oOo

It’s another normal day at Roosterteeth, or as normal as things apparently get there. Jake sits in the office whilst they record a few videos, and then something called GO! Starts up and a red haired girl named Lindsay and a guy with glasses and curly brown hair named Kdin come in, filming with their IPhones. Jake sits on the sofa, drawing in his sketchbook.

“Alright, so Ray won last week-”

The rest fades out into noise as Jake focuses on Geoff. He’s a pretty cool guy, that’s for sure, but he also _looks_ interesting. Jake spends way longer than he’d like to admit on drawing the guy’s perfectly sculpted moustache, before moving down to start filling in the blank spaces on his drawings arms. The Go! Episode only lasts about twenty minutes and he barely makes any progress. It doesn’t help that Geoff keeps moving so it’s hard to make references.

After GO! Is finished, Jake continues his drawing. Geoff is easier to focus on when he is sitting down, playing a game. He still moves around a fair bit in his chair, leaning and jumping and being generally agitated, but Jake gets a better angle, at least.

He fills in about half of Geoff’s left arm by the time the office starts clearing. Gavin and Michael are somewhere else in the building, filming different things, until just Geoff, Jack and Jake are left in the office.

“What’re you drawing?” Geoff asks. Jake flinches, and shuts his sketchbook. “Uh… nothing.”

Jack has his headphones in and is looking at his computer, so he doesn’t react to their conversation, but Geoff stands, and walks over.

“What is it?” he asks, with a slight smile on his face. Blushing, Jake opens the pad, flicks to the drawing of Geoff, and turns it so he can see. He looks away, not willing to see how creeped out he probably is.

“Holy shit, this is awesome!”

Jake turns. “Really?” he asks.

“Fuck yeah! Look at my moustache, does it really look that good?”

Jake laughs. “Uh, yeah.” he says. “But… most of the day I’ve been focusing on your ink… it’s pretty- intricate.”

Geoff looks at his own arms. “Yeah. Pretty fucking expensive and time-consuming too.”

Jake laughs. “Still. Looks pretty cool. Hard to reference though, unless you’re this close.”

Geoff pauses for a moment, looking at his arms again. “Well, you can take photos if you want. Like, for reference.”

Jake’s eyes light up. “Really?” he asks. Geoff nods, and Jake fumbles in his pockets for his phone. He snaps a few photos, trying not to squeal like a fan-boy and make everything awkward, before locking his phone and slipping it back in his pocket. “Thanks.” He says.

“No problem. How’ve you been anyway… after- you know, everything.”

Jake shrugs. “I’ve been okay, I guess. Michael and Gavin really help.”

“They’re good guys.” Geoff says. “Gavin lived with me for a long time before he moved in with Michael, and I brought Michael over here to work for Roosterteeth- so they’re kinda like my annoying little brothers or something.”

Jake smiles. “Yeah? What were they like back then?”

“Still idiots.” Geoff says. “Still stupidly into each other, even if they didn't realise it. But yeah, they’re good idiots, I guess.”

Jake looks at Geoff, and studies him as he talks. He isn’t particularly _old_ , but he looks wise. He looks like someone who’s _lived_. He looks trustworthy.

“They want to adopt me.” He admits. Geoff raises an eyebrow.

“Really?” he asks. “That’s a pretty big deal.”

Jake shrugs. “I don’t think it’d be that much different. I live with them, they provide for me- I think it’d be the same.”

“That’s true.” Geoff yes. “But the dynamic would change. After a while, you would stop looking at them like the guys who took you in, and more like parents. If that’s something you think you’d want… then you should let them.”

“D’you think?” Jake asks. Geoff nods.

“I do.”

Jake looks up at Geoff. “I’m kinda scared.” he admits. “Everything’s so… different than what it was a week ago. I didn't know lives could change this quickly.”

“Lives can change in a second, buddy.” Geoff explains. “Sometimes life just throws a curveball full of shit right at your face- but then, you pick through that shit, and you find fucking chocolate.”

Jake frowns. “That’s a pretty disgusting analogy.”

Geoff shrugs. “Still- makes sense though, doesn’t it?” Jake shrugs and Geoff smiles, ruffling his hair in a way that a lot of people have been doing to him recently.

“Hope that I gave you some worthwhile advice amongst the shit. Hope you find your chocolate.”

With that, Geoff stands. He walks over to Jack and says goodbye, and shoots a last look at Jake, before leaving the room. He almost bumps into Gavin, who walks in to pick Jake up.

“Ready to go?”

Jake smiles. Maybe he could not only see Michael, but Gavin as a dad. A weird, British dad who uses made up words and fries amazing breakfasts.

“Yeah.” he says. “Let’s go home.”


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things slowly turn back to 'normal.' Jake meets a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shortish chapter I know, sorry! Next one's full o' drama so be ready! This story's looking to wrap up in the next few chapters, so stick around.

Jake sees her for the first time two weeks after he agrees to let Michael and Gavin adopt him, sometime in the future. They don’t want to rush anything, which is understandable, and they're all perfectly happy with the dynamic they have. It’s not a friendship, but it’s not quite a paternal relationship either.

It’s been weeks since his drunken outburst, and they finally trust him to go out on his own again, granted he takes his phone, and he’s on his way back from one of his walks. He’s been doing it a lot recently, walking around, familiarising himself with Austin. He likes the city, more than he expected to.

He also hangs around at Roosterteeth a lot more, to only because Michael still gets a little shiver of anxiety every-time Jake walks out the door, but also because he _likes it._ It’s interesting as hell to see how many people can pull together, doing such little parts to make one big scene. He likes the animators den a lot. He finds it fascinating how many hours can be given to three seconds of footage. He drools over Monty’s concept art for Rwby.

“I’ve been thinking of a new character, actually. You could maybe help me with the designs?” Monty asks.

Jake spends a lot more time at the edge of Monty’s desk at he works silently for hours, just sketching and colouring and changing. It’s way more difficult than he imagined, designing one character, but that doesn’t stop it from being fun.

He also hangs around in Achievement Hunter a considerable amount. His phone memory is almost full with little clips of Geoff wrestling Gavin to the floor, or Ryan wiring up pranks to pull on the others. He also learns how they edit their videos, too, spending a few hours at the edge of Jack’s desk as he goes through programme after programme. He edits his first ever HUNT video, and Jack gives him the proudest smile he thinks he’s ever received.

He’s constantly in the background, and soon people start asking questions.

_Who’s the guy in the grey hoodie sitting on the couch?_

-         _I’ve seen him in the background of a few GO episodes, actually._

-         _-    Yeah, he was in versus too._

-         _-    -   Is Geoff hiring more new people?? When can I get a job?!_

Michael asks him how he wants to address it, but he really doesn’t care all that much. “I don’t know,” he shrugs. “I’m not really bothered about it.”

“Well, when your work on RWBY finally comes out, you’ll be in the credits. People will definitely wanna know then.”

“I don’t know. No matter what anyone says, people are always gonna jump to conclusions. I don’t really know if I want everyone to…”

“Know about your mom?”

Jake stills. He looks to the floor and then back up to Michael. He sighs.

“Yeah. Basically. Or… or it’s okay if they do- just I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Michael’s hand settles on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. “That’s cool man.”

“Would _you_?” Jake suddenly asks. Michael frowns.

“What, you want _me_ to talk about it?” he asks. Jake nods.

“I mean- you don’t have to if you don’t want to… but I-I think that maybe, it’d be good if- if you could…” he trails off awkwardly.

“I'll do it.” Michael says. “Whatever you need from me, buddy, I'll do it.”

Michael’s good like that.

oOo

He’s been in Austin for a little over a month, when he realises he hasn’t actually made any friends. Gavin starts to give him shit about it, and Michael mouths off. Jake just rolls his eyes. Friends aren’t really something he’s that concerned about. When he starts school, he’ll meet people.

“Still. Doesn’t it get boring, just hanging out with adults the whole day?”

He doesn’t want to admit that Gavin might be right.

So sometimes, when he goes out for walks or quickly runs to the store, he looks out for people his own age. It’s just curiosity, he tells himself.

And then he sees _her_.

He sees her standing sitting at the entrance to his building, smoking a cigarette. Her hair is so blonde it’s almost white, and her eyes are covered in dark make up. She wears a black dress that rides up her thighs as she sits on the concrete, displaying her thin pale legs.

Jake is immediately intrigued by her. He’s never really held much interest in girls, aside from the few female friends he’d had back home. He never assumed he was _gay_ as he’d never held much of an interest in guys either, except for the few friends he had grown up with. He had always thought he was just… indifferent.

But she is _intriguing_.

He doesn't work up the nerve to actually say anything, just walks past her and heads back home. She is the kind of girl who looks like she is more trouble than she is worth. He’ll probably never even see her again.

But that doesn’t stop him of dreaming about her. He doesn’t know her name, so for now, she’s just ‘that girl’ and he’s surprisingly okay with that. He imagines different voices she might have in his head, but none quite fit with the way her pink lips move. How he assumes they move, anyway.

He needs to see her again.

He goes for countless walks, to the point where Michael is getting suspicious about it. He doesn’t see her any time, and starts to wonder if she was ever real at all.

But then, two weeks after the first time, he sees her again. Gavin sends him down to check the mail, and as he leaves the apartment, he notices her. She is just leaving the apartment a few doors down and opposite his, locking the door behind her. She catches eyes with him for a second, before she turns and leaves.

He almost calls out to her, but stops himself. He draws her in his sketchbook that night, spends hours that could have been spent sleeping on filling in every detail or her impossibly dark eyes.

The third time he sees her, he’s with Michael. They’re heading back inside and she’s outside, texting someone on her phone. Michael watches him stare at her for a good minute, and smirks.

“Close your mouth dude, she might think you’re retarded.”

Jake blushes and looks away. “I don’t know what you mean. I wasn’t- I wasn’t doing anything.”

“Oh, so you mean you weren’t staring at the pale blonde chick outside the building?” Michael asks as they walk inside.

“Keep your voice down!” Jake hisses, looking back to see if she reacts. She doesn’t, thankfully, just turns and walks away from the building. Michael laughs.

“Dude, how long have you been watching her from afar? And be honest!”

“I’ve only seen her like three times. And I’ve only drawn her once. Maybe twice. And I’ve only thought of her like a hundred times since the first time I saw her.” He groans, pressing his face into his hand. “I’m pretty sure everything after I’ve only seen her three times was meant to stay in my head.”

Michael laughs. “You’ve got it _bad_ dude.”

oOo

The fourth time, he doesn’t see her first. He’s in his room, playing a little Halo online with a friend back in New York when he hears Michael calling him.

“Sorry dude, gotta go.”

_“See you Jake.”_

He sets his controller down on his bed and walks out into the hallway and through to the main room of their apartment.

“What is it Mi-”

He stops in his tracks when he sees her, standing in the doorway, Michael beside it. Michael smirks at him, and he prays his skin isn’t burning several shades of red. Gavin, in the kitchen, says nothing, just eyes her cautiously.

“Ophelia came to see you.” Michael says with a smile.

  1. The name is perfect for her. So perfect, he wonders if she is just a dream of his and this is a long fucking hallucination. Maybe he’s in a mental hospital. Maybe he’s asleep.



“Hey.” She says.

Her voice isn’t deep, but it isn’t high either. It comes out almost like a whisper and she sounds…

“English?” Gavin asks, raising his eyebrows. She looks over to him and smiles.

“Yeah. Me and my mum moved here from North London.”

Gavin nods, but doesn’t reply. Jake is still a little speechless, but manages to speak.

“Hi.” He says, she smiles.

“I was just wondering if you wanted to come out. There’s a party going on at a friend of mines and she said I could bring a plus one. I don’t have many other friends and I thought you looked…”

“-Lonely?” he tries.

“I was gonna say alright but… sure.” She shrugs.

He mentally curses himself for sounding so pathetic, and stutters his reply. “Uh- yeah- I’d… I’d love to, uh- go! Is,” he looks at Michael. “Is that okay?”

Michael shrugs. “Be home by midnight, don’t get wasted.” He offers, Jake nods.

“Let me- let me just grab my jacket.”

He walks back to his room, and can hear someone following behind him. He turns, to see Gavin.

“You okay?” he asks.

Gavin awkwardly looks to the side. “Just… be safe alright? I’ve got a weird feeling about her.”

“What do you mean?” Jake asks defensively, picking up his black hoodie and beanie, tugging it over his head. Gavin shrugs.

“She… she looks like trouble, Jake. I don’t want you to get mixed up in anything or do anything you’ll regret.”

“I'll be fine Gavin.” Jake says, placing a hand on Gavin’s arm. “I’ve got my phone, so call me if you need me. Nothing bad’s gonna happen.”

Gavin watches Jake leave the apartment, and feels a twisting in his gut.

oOo

True to his word, Jake walks in the door at midnight, where Gavin and Michael are sat on the couch, watching a movie. Michael walks up as Jake walks into the room.

“Good party?” he asks. Jake grins.

“It was _awesome._ ” He says. Michael smiles.

“Glad you had a good time. You wanna come watch this movie?” he offers. Jake smiles, but shakes his head.

“Nah, I’m gonna go to bed.” He says.

“Alright. Try not to dream about your new girlfriend too loudly, yeah?” Michael teases. Jake blushes and flips him off as he walks into his bedroom, and Michael laughs.

“Jake’s first crush.” He says to Gavin, hearing Jake’s bedroom door click shut. Gavin smiles awkwardly, but doesn’t say anything. Michael frowns.

“What?” he asks.

“It’s nothing.” Gavin shakes his head, but Michael isn’t convinced. He’s known Gavin too long for the Brit to think he can fool him.

“What’s wrong?” he repeats. Gavin sighs, and his eyes linger on their front door for a second.

“She’s trouble, Michael. I’ve known girls like her before. Trust me, she isn’t good news.”

“She’s just a kid, Gavin.” Michael laughs. “So what she wears fucking dark make-up and shit. That doesn’t make her dangerous.”

“That’s not what I mean.” Gavin sighs, standing up.

“What? Where are you going?” Michael asks. “Don’t you wanna watch the movie?”

Gavin shakes his head. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”        


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drama, drama, drama!!

Over the next month or so, it feels like they hardly even see Jake anymore. He spends his days (and nights) out, at parties and with ‘friends’ that he never seems to name, except for her.

Gavin worries constantly, but Michael is surprisingly lax. It causes arguments between them frequently, a series of shouting and sighing. It usually involves Michael, saying that _isn’t it good that Jake’s making friends? He’ll need them when he starts school!_ And Gavin’s argument is always the same, _she’s dangerous. There’s something off about her. I don’t trust her._

So things between Michael and Gavin are a little bitter, and even with the short amount of time he spends at home, Jake notices it. He wants to ask, but Michael just looks _tired_ and Gavin just looks constantly annoyed, and he doesn’t want to interfere. He tries to ignore the small twist of guilt in his stomach that this is his fault. That they were fine before he arrived.

The time he spends at home no longer involves tag-teaming with Michael against Gavin on the Xbox, or watching stupid movies and the new show Michael’s introduced him to, _It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia._

Michael now broods in front of the TV, and Gavin stands in the kitchen, drinking mug after mug of tea, texting on his phone. Jake sits in his room, sometimes playing Xbox and sometimes drawing in his sketchbook, which is constantly getting fuller.

The only person he ever shows his sketches to is Geoff, when he goes to work with Michael and Gavin. The tattooed man smiles at every one, compliments him on the detail. Jake captures every moment, from the concentrated lip-bite Ryan holds when he’s peering at the screen to the way Burnie laughs, head thrown back slightly with crinkles around his eyes.

He doesn’t ever show Michael or Gavin. They’ve stopped asking.

The true reason why, is because he doesn’t want them to see themselves how he sees them these days. His sketches used to be coloured, Gavin laughing and squealing as Michael teased him, shaded in bright oranges and yellows, and then Michael, raging at a particularly hard level, smiling through the anger, coloured in different shades of red.

His newer sketches are black and white, or contrasting shades of blue. Gavin standing with a worried expression aimed across the room. Michael, lying on the sofa with his head in his hands after the second time Gavin’s walked out and decided not to come home for the night.

Jake wants to help, he does, but he doesn’t know how. He’s just a kid, or so he’s been told for most of his life. It’s odd, how he was always treated as a kid growing up, until now with Michael and Gavin, being suddenly treated like an adult.

oOo

It’s a Wednesday night when Ophelia calls him. He puts down his Xbox controller and picks up his phone, smiling when he sees her name.

“Hey.” He says with a happy sigh.

“Hey.” She says. Her voice flows through the phone like silk, and wraps right around his throat. He isn’t sure where he stands with her, even after all this time they’ve been… he wants to think they're friends. He wants to think he wants be more than friends. He isn’t sure if she even has any real friends. There are the people she hangs out with, and by extension, he hangs out with. They’re nice… but they’re dangerous. Jake is smart enough to see that.

“I’m going out tonight. Warehouse party. Want to come?” she asks, although her tone of voice doesn’t phrase it like a question. She sounds like she knows he’s coming. Of course he's coming.

“I'll be there.”

“Meet me outside. Now.”

He doesn’t get a chance to say goodbye before the phone cuts out. He stands and takes his hoodie off of the floor, pulling it on. He slips his feet into his black sneakers, and pushes his hair up and back out of his face. He hesitates for a second, before pulling a grey beanie on. Ophelia’s been talking about piercings recently, and her friend Darrel has thick stretched plugs in each lobe. He isn’t sure he wants to go that far, but maybe an earring would be nice.

He walks into the man room. Gavin is in the kitchen section of their apartment, and Michael sits on the couch. Neither of them speak to each other, just look at Jake as he enters the room.

“Uh, I’m off out. To a party.” He says.

“With who?” Gavin asks, sitting up. Jake grits his teeth a little at Gavin’s constant suspicion.

“One of Ophelia’s friends.” He hears Gavin sigh at the sound of her name, as usual. “Is it alright if I go?”

“Be back by midnight, one at the absolute latest.” Michael warns, watching him head towards the door. Jake nods, because he knows the drill.

“Where abouts is this party?” Gavin asks.

“Warehouse.” Jake says, truthfully. Gavin bites his lip.

“Sounds illegal.” He comments.

“It’s not.” Jake says. “Probably.” He does not say.

“Stay out of trouble.” Michael says. Gavin's expression does not change, and Michael sighs. “Gav, he’ll be fine. He’s a smart kid. He’s not gonna let himself get caught up in anything bad… right Jake?”

Jake nods. Gavin sighs into his tea.

“Alright. See you guys.” Is the last thing he says, before he slips out of the door and into the night.

oOo

She’s beautiful, in the darkness of the concrete room, dance music echoing off the walls and colourful lights skimming through her white hair and bouncing off her dark eyes. She smiles, eyes closed and hands in the air as they dance together. She is dressed all in black, like a shadow as she moves so elegantly across the dance-floor.

She’s a girl of few words, always has been, so it doesn’t surprise him when she suddenly grips at his wrists and pulls him up the stairs. It’s getting late now, midnight closely approaching and he knows he needs to leave, but _fuck it,_ she’s so easy to follow.

She leads him up the stairs into the second level of the warehouse. It’s pitch black, so she flicks on the light, which flickers and illuminates the room barely. It’s empty, except for a few piles of old cardboard and plastics. She lights up a cigarette.

“Want one?” she offers. Jake shakes his head.

“I’ve got to go.” He says, glancing awkwardly to the side. She groans.

“You’re no fun.”

“Sorry.”

It’s silent again for a little while. He wants to leave, but his feet are glued to the floor as her body sways to the faint sounds of music coming from downstairs.

“Jake.” She asks, after a while. He steps forwards. “How do you feel about fire?”

“It’s…tricky.” He says. “To draw.”

She laughs. “Is that all you think about, drawing?” she asks. He blushes.

“No. I think about a lot of things.” He shrugs. She stops, and looks to him, dark eyes narrow and a smirk playing on her pale lips.

“Like what?” she asks. “Me?” she smiles, stepping forwards. “Do you think about me, Jake?”

He lushes as her face moves closer to his. He’s surprised how quiet her breathing is.

“Yeah. Sometimes.” Any attempts to play things cool end when her lips ghost against his gently, barely touching for a second. He doesn’t tell her that it’s his first kiss. He isn’t sure if he even likes it that much, but he knows he should, so he embraces the warm feeling that spreads in his chest.

“You’re not… are you?” she asks. He frowns.

“Not what?” he asks.

“Interested.” She smiles, and shakes her head. “Not in me. Not in anyone, are you?”

He blushes. “I-I do. I do like you, obviously.”

She shakes her head. “It’s okay Jake. It’s not weird to just… not be attracted to anyone, in that way-”

He releases a breath he didn't realise he was holding as she steps forwards to him. “Really?” he asks. He's spent so much of his life feeling weird and different, for not understanding the relationships held in his world. He’d never confided in anyone about it, not even Gavin or Michael… he’s never felt, comfortable enough to talk about his thoughts and feelings and the ways in which his own sexuality perplexes him.

He is brought back to earth by Ophelia, kissing him softly on the forehead. He thinks he loves her, even if it isn’t in the way most teenage boys love teenage girls with white hair and black clothes and eyes darker than any he’d ever seen before.

“Want to see something cool?” she asks. He nods.

She walks over to one pile of cardboard, and reaches for her cup, tipping the clear liquid over it.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“We’re different, Jake.” Is all she says, throwing the cup across the room. “Me and you- we’re the outsiders, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, sure.” He nods, trying to understand as she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a lighter. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to _live._ ” She says with a wicked smile, squatting down and flicking the lighter on. The doused cardboard catches immediately, and the flames licked in the corner.

“What- Ophelia, stop!”

But she’s already gone, eyes shut and arms in the air as the music keeps pumping. She sways delicately towards the warmth of the firs, just as the rickety old fire alarm goes off. Jake looks to the ceiling at the sprinklers, waiting for the pouring of water. The fire is catching quickly, spreading around the edge of the room and creeping towards the door, but he can't run. Not without her.

The sprinklers make a faint creaking noise, but no water comes out.

“We have to go!” he shouts, as the fire catches in a puddle of something suspicious in the corner, erupting into a fire ball. The temperature rockets and he can feel sweat on his brow as he looks to the door.

“Ophelia!” he shouts. “We have to go!”

He tugs on her wrist, pulling her along with him towards the door. She just laughs, and he wonders if she’s simply high or more complex than that. The metal door handle burns his hand to the touch, but he grips it tightly, pushing as hard as he can to creak the door open. It slips open a crack, before catching on something he can't see on the other side.

“Ophelia!” he shouts again, shaking her by the shoulders. She comes out of her trance, frowning at him.

“Jake- what- What’s happening?”

It’s the first real emotion Jake’s ever seen cross her face.

“You did this!”

“What! We need to get out… Jake, I need to get out right now!”

It’s the fear, that surprises him. He never pictured Ophelia afraid of anything.

“I can only get the door open a little, can you slip through?” he asks. She nods, and crawls through the door.

“Now you!”

He walks with his back against the door, holding it open as he tries to slip through, but it quickly becomes clear that the gap just isn’t big enough. He looks desperately to Ophelia, whose large brown eyes swell wide with fear.

“I-” he pants desperately “-I can’t get through. I can’t get out.”

“Jake, please!” she pleads, trying to crawl back through. He pushed her lightly back, stopping her from entering.

“No, we can’t both be stuck.” He says. He looks behind him, to the flames licking at the walls. “Just… just go get help. Fuck, please- go and get help.”

She nods, before turning and running away. He leans off the door, and lets it shut behind him.

He fumbles for his phone in his pocket, and looks at the time.

_01:24_

_Shit_ , he thinks. _Gonna be late home. If I make it home._

_No. Can’t think like that. I’m gonna be okay. I’m gonna be okay._

_I’m gonna be okay._

He repeats it in his head like a mantra as he sinks to the floor, coughing as the smoke swirls in his lungs and the toxic fumes of the warehouse settle onto him.

_I’m gonna… be… okay._

oOo

Michael paces the floor angrily with his hands behind his back, glancing at the door every few seconds or so, as Gavin sits with an annoyed expression behind him.

“I told you.” he says.

“Shut up.” Michael snaps. “He’ll be home, any second.”

“He does this… every time, and he’ll keep doing it Michael, as long as he hangs out with that girl, I told you that-”

“Alright!” Michael shouts. “Enough, for fucks sake, Gavin. I get it, alright- you were right, I was wrong. Same as every other fucking day of my life!”

“Don’t be like that Michael.”

“Just,” Michael sighs. “Leave me alone. Please.”

Gavin falls back into silence, and Michael continues to pace the floor as the minutes tick on. Fed up with the silence, Gavin flicks on the TV, and skims the channels. There’s nothing on really, so he flicks to the local news channel.

_“…the local warehouse here in Austin, Texas has been abandoned for several months, but has been popular with youths and underground rave-parties. Those all end tonight, however, as fire-fighters battle ferociously with the blaze that’s held on the second floor.”_

It feels like they’re living through the lens of the phantom once they hear the words, Gavin and Michael both turning to the TV at the exact same moment. The news presented continues her story, but her words sound foggy, like they’re underwater.

_“…We weren’t originally sure if anybody was trapped in there, but it has just been confirmed that one boy remains trapped upstairs inside.”_

The camera changes to live footage of the building. Gavin spots her first, Ophelia, sitting up on a stretcher by an ambulance, crying and pointing up to the building.

He and Michael don’t even need to speak to communicate, they both run out of the door, not bothering with jackets or even checking if their shoes match, sprinting down the halls and into the car park, straight into Michael’s car.

oOo

The area is blocked off with police tape and the traffic is hell, so they both abandon the car, running through the crowds to the front. A police officer tries to stop them, as they run forwards, but Michael’s murderous gaze and Gavin’s cry of, “That’s our son in there you fucking prick!” Is enough to make him move.

They run towards the building just as a fire-fighter burst through the door, a boy hung over his shoulder. For a moment, Michael hopes it isn’t Jake, that it’s just a misunderstanding and that Jake is back home, wondering why they aren’t there and getting ready to apologize for being late.

The boys skin is black with ash and his jeans are ripped. Gavin spots his grey hoodie and a sharp pain shoots through his chest as they watch Jake, laid down on a stretcher and pushed into an ambulance. They both run forwards, angrily shouting at the paramedics, who quickly let them in.

Jake is barely conscious, but he can make out their faces as they loom over him.

“Michael. Gavin.” He croaks. His throat burns and he isn’t sure why. “Is… is she okay?”

“Forget her.” Gavin shakes his head. “Are _you_ okay?”

“I- I saved her… I had to save her.” Is the last thing Jake says before he passes out, the world around him fading to black.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale.

The walls of the hospital are too white, and suddenly, he feels like he’s gone back in time. Sitting in that room, watching her, laid in the bed. She had looked so peaceful, even through all the wires and the beeping and the smell of antiseptic. She looked like she was just sleeping.

This time, he is the one in the bed. Michael and Gavin take his place in the chairs. Gavin’s tanned skin is too pale and his grip on Michael’s hand is tight. Michael’s curly hair is limp and his eyes are dark and tired. Neither of them speak.

Jake feels like breaking the ice. Cracking a joke or making a reference, but as he opens his mouth, his voice doesn’t follow. His throat feels clogged, and dry.

The only noise he makes is a faint groan.

“Don’t try and speak.” Michael says quietly. “The uh, the doctor said your throat got a little damaged because of the smoke. You should be okay in a few days but just, don’t speak for now, okay?”

Jake nods. His eyes flit between Michael’s and Gavin's.

“ _I’m sorry.”_ He mouths.

Gavin nods and smiles, and Michael hangs his head.

“It’s alright.” Gavin says, standing up and leaning forwards to stroke his hand through Jake’s hair. “It… it wasn’t your fault.”

“ _How is Ophelia.”_

Gavin stiffens a little, but the soft smile doesn’t fade from his face.

“She’s gone, Jake. She’s moved away.”

_“How long have I been out?_

“A day and a bit. Me and Michael have been worried sick.” Gavin looks behind him to Michael, who still sits in his chair, head resting in his hands.

 _“Is he mad at me?”_ Jake silently asks. Gavin shakes his head.

“He’s mad at himself.” Gavin glances behind himself to Michael. “I keep telling him it isn’t his fault, but you know what Michael’s like.”

It amazes Jake how easily Gavin talks about Michael like he isn’t even in the room with them.

“It is my fault.” Michael mumbles. Jake shakes his head, but Michael doesn’t look up in time to see it.

“The main thing is, you’re okay now.” Gavin says. “You were lucky not to get burnt too bad,” he nods to Jake’s arms, wrapped in bandages. He can also feel something covering his back. “Your hoodie saved you from most of it. Might have a few scars on your back though.”

Michael stands as Gavin finishes speaking, and approaches the bed.

“I’m so fucking sorry.” He says, wiping a few tears away from his eyes. Gavin rests his head on Michael’s shoulder, and one of Michael’s arms wraps around his waist. Jake smiles at the two of them. Even though the situations shitty and his throat feels raw, it’s more than comforting to see them together again, the way they should’ve always been.

“ _It isn’t your fault.”_ He mouths. Michael doesn’t say anything. Unable to really communicate in any other way, Jake reaches his hand up weakly, outstretching his fingers to Michael. Michael takes his hand, and squeezes it as lightly as possible.

“I’m just glad _you’re_ okay.”

 _“Me too._ ” Jake mouths. And maybe, _physically_ he isn’t. he’s got burns on his back and smoke swirling in his throat, but he’s still… _okay._ Gavin and Michael are okay. Ophelia probably isn’t, but he doubts he’ll ever see her again.

And maybe that’s okay too.

oOo

_Journal Entry_

_[Offical Michael] Cast&Crew Member_

_ Jake King _

_So I’ve seen a lot of people on the sub-Reddit and in the comments and stuff, asking about ‘That guy in the grey hoodie hanging around in the background of Go/VS’. ‘That guy’ is called Jake King. He’s fifteen years old._

_Jake is the son of a good friend of mine, back in Jersey, named Rebecca. Sadly, Rebecca passed away a few months ago in a car accident. Being listed as Jake’s guardian, I had to take him in._

_(And before you all automatically assume he’s my secret son, keep in mind that I would’ve been fourteen. I definitely did not get any girls pregnant at fourteen. My mom would’ve killed me.)_

_Rebecca was just a good friend of mine and what happened was very tragic. Since then, Jake has been living with Gav and I in our apartment._

_He’s sort of like a son, but sort of not. He’s a total badass at video games and an awesome artist. He’s been helping edit videos and work on RWBY and RVB with Monty and the whole animation team._

_He’s an all-round good kid. So don’t give him too much shit when he likely starts the next gen of achievement hunters by the time we’re all too old to do it anymore, alright?_

_Otherwise you’ll have Gavin and I to deal with!_

Jake reads the journal entry aloud from his phone as he, Gavin and Michael sit around the tiny dinner table, eating pasta that Gavin made.

“Really?” he asks, a short laugh lingering in his voice. “Otherwise you’ll have Gav and I to deal with?”

“It’s true!” Michael replies. Jake laughs.

“I can look after myself Michael.” Jake rolls his eyes, but he’s still smiling.

“Yeah, well, until you’re eighteen, in my eyes- it’s still my job to look after you, alright.” Michael says.

“Probably longer than that, even.” Gavin adds on. Jake smiles.

“Really? You guys want me for that long?”

Michael looks to Gavin, and the two have another one of their silent conversations, making a big show out of their fake consideration of Jake’s approval.

“I don’t know.” Michael finally says, looking away from Gavin and back to Jake. “I guess that depends on how long until you get sick of us.”

“Never.” Jake says. He’s still smiling but his words aren’t a joke. “I uh… I guess I love you both too much.”

He decides not to look back up, and stares straight into his bowl, missing the giant grins and flushed cheeks of his sort-of-parents.

“ _Jake_.” Gavin simpers. “We love you too!”

“I don’t know. You’re okay I guess.” Michael jokes.  Jake looks up and grins.

“Just okay?” he asks.

“More than okay.” Michael smiles “I love you, buddy.”

After the post is made, shared on Reddit and Tumblr and twitter and even Instagram, Jake watches his social media accounts skyrocket to a ridiculous number of followers. Some people think he’s hot and some think he’s weird, but that’s alright with him. Geoff convinces him to scan a few of his drawings and post them onto his twitter, and the response is incredible.

After a month of helping out with editing and the occasional _GO_! Or _Versus_ appearance, Burnie approaches him about being a guest on one of the podcasts. He wavers on it for a while, but he is eventually convinced by Gavin’s $100 bet to Michael that he won't go on.

(Gavin doesn’t know that he knows about the bet, and _definitely_ knows that Michael is going to give him half.)

The podcast is nice, if anything. It’s funny. Jake can bounce off the banter between Michael and Gus and Burnie easily, and slips in an out of conversation at the appropriate time. He isn’t nervous in front of the camera, but it’s still a little daunting to know you’re on livestream to several thousand people.

“So Jake,” Burnie pulls him out of his thoughts. “What’s it like living with Michael and Gavin?”

Jake smiles, and looks to Michael. “I’m never bored.”

The group laugh, and Jake smiles. “I film them sometimes, when they're doing stupid shit. They think I don’t see them, but I absolutely do.”

“You asshole!” Michael laughs.

“I’m storing the footage for future blackmail purposes.”

“For ever Xbox game you don’t get, one gets uploaded?” Gus jokes. Jake laughs.

“Something like that, I guess.”

“You get on well though, which must be good.” Burnie says. Jake and Michael both nod.

“He’s a good kid. I joke that he’s a piece of shit but, he is a good kid. I'll give you that one.”

“I'll delete the video of Gavin throwing the milk in your face then.”

They all laugh again, and Jake feels good. He feels like he fits in, which is nice. Michael smiles at him, and shakes his head endearingly.

“Asshole” Michael mutters.

“Jake, I'll give you $50 to show me that after the podcast.” Gus laughs. Jake grins.

“If there’s anything Michael’s taught me, it’s never to settle for less than a hundred!”

“Damn right!” Michael laughs.

“Jake, can you be on the podcast every week?” Burnie asks. “You’re a nice break from Gavin’s idiocy.”

“Great, now I just get ignored!” Michael whines. “Fresh meat at RT, everyone wants a piece!”

Jake shrugs and smiles. “I do what I can. I’ve been… lucky, I guess.”

“It sounds weird, but I’m proud.” Burnie says. “I said it to Michael when he brought you here for the first time, and I'll say it again,” he looks to Michael. “I’m really proud of you and Gavin, for taking him in and doing such a good job. He’s a good kid, and I’m more than happy to have him as part of our team.”

“Thanks Burnie.”

“For the people who don’t know what Jake does around here, he uh, you actually help out with a lot of Achievement Hunter editing, and you’ve been working with Monty, that’s Monty Oum on some RWBY stuff, right?”

“Uh yeah, I’ve actually been-

“He’s a natural.”  Gavin looks up to Geoff, who stands next to him, just off the side of the podcast set.

“You startled me.” Gavin laughs, placing his hand against his chest. “But you’re right. He’s doing so well. I’m _proud._ Which is a weird feeling.”

“It’s not weird to be proud of your kid.” Geoff laughs. Gavin smiles warmly. It just sounds right, _his kid_. Something he never thought he's ever be hearing.

“I’m proud of you too.” Geoff adds. “Burnie’s right. You and Michael really stepped up. Jake’s a good kid.”

“He really is.”

“He’s gonna be a pain in the ass for the next few years though. Shit, a teenager? Fuck that.”

“I dunno,” Gavin shrugs. “Maybe he won't be a complete prick. He’ll just be a bit of a prick.”

“He’ll be a _total prick.”_

“Alright. But he’ll be _our_ prick, won't he?” Gavin continues to look at Jake and smiles. Watching as he talks animatedly to Gus, as everyone laughs around him.

“Yeah.” Geoff replies. “He’ll be _your_ prick.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thank you to everyone who followed this story, kudos'ed and commented. Love to you all <3
> 
> Hey, check out my other stuff? 
> 
> Thanks.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and Comments are really appreciated! And hey, check out my other stuff?
> 
> Thanks.


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